[pfsb] happy halloween!

[acrookedpath]

It's that time of year again.

The inn is bustling. All manner of strange outfits have been donned (some more willingly than others). Lanterns flicker ominously in the corners, pumpkins stand sentry at either end of the bar, and every order comes complete with a handful of wrapped candies.

And -- if you're Wei Wuxian -- Madam Bar has also gifted you with an enormous array of tiny cakes, each one with a little candle stuck in its center. His second birthday at the inn has arrived, and he could not be more pleased.

(He's also wearing a red T-shirt that reads, simply, I'M THE CHAOS. Just like last year, he has set his mild confusion aside in favor of delight at the bounty Madam Bar has given him.)

Comments

[acrookedpath]

"Then here you are," he says, presenting the notepad to the rats with a small bow. "May you use it well! You will be seeing me very frequently to enjoy the soup you make."

The chef-rat chatters, straightening up to its full height with great dignity, and accepts the pad and pen.

[lotus_sister]

Jiang Yanli's smile is filled with sweet and absolute delight as she watches.

[acrookedpath]

He glances back to his sister; returns the smile, completely unawares.

"So now we have another hour to spend elsewhere!" he says. "Perhaps I could show you the library? Or the House of Arch?"

[lotus_sister]

"I'd love that," she tells him. "Either or both - but how much time do you spend in the library?" she teases. "Did you get used to it at Gusu Lan?"

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian laughs. "If Gusu Lan contained half the books in the inn's library, you never would have seen me! Every one of the thousand worlds that touches this place has at least a shelf of books to call their own -- unheard music, theories of magic even I could never dream up, stories of amazing people and creatures from every corner of the universe..."

He beckons Jiang Yanli to follow him, all but bouncing on the tips of his toes.

[lotus_sister]

She follows him out of the kitchen and across the inn's common room to the stairs, ascending beside him - until a gasp from ahead of her draws her attention up the stairs. Lan Wangji is standing there, apparently just about to descend, and has frozen in his tracks.

Costume or not, Jiang Yanli brings her hands up in front of her and gives him a polite bow. "Hanguang-jun. It's so good to see you."

[lightamidchaos]

Jiang Yanli is standing there before him, beside Wei Ying, smiling and looking to be alive and well - but how?

He bows in return, deep and filled with respect. "Jin shao-fu'ren. Please be welcome here." He cannot keep his glance from going to Wei Ying, seeking some hint of an explanation.

[acrookedpath]

"Lan Zhan!" shouts Wei Wuxian. He catapults himself up the stairs, all his joy bubbling up into another laugh. "You're here! And look who else is here!"

He seizes Lan Zhan by both hands to pull him down toward Jiang Yanli.

"It was so easy for her to visit tonight -- incense and a little talisman, not even Inquiry! And look! She is here." Up close, there is no mistaking the tears that shimmer in his eyes. "We have already visited the stables and said hello to El-ahrairah, and she has made soup, and -- "

[lotus_sister]

"A-Xian," Jiang Yanli scolds, with gentle warmth. "How can he possibly answer you if you don't let him speak?"

But as her brother pulls Hanguang-jun down another step, his robes shimmer and shift. She stares in surprise as he ends up in clothes much like those A-Xian is wearing, only with a blue shirt instead of a red one, printed with words that the inn's spell translates to her mind as being I Go Where The Chaos Is.

[lightamidchaos]

He squeezes Wei Ying's hands as the other man pulls him along. The tears in his eyes are understandable, although they pierce his heart.

The clothing shift distracts him briefly, however, and he looks down at himself with surprise - then narrows his eyes as he takes note of Wei Ying's own attire.

"Mn." A beat of silence, followed by, "You have been very busy."

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian breaks off, sheepishly, at his sister's gentle admonishment -- but not for long. As soon as he catches sight of Lan Zhan's shirt, he bursts out laughing again.

"I have! We both have," he says. "Not the least with admiring the costumes Madam Bar gave us tonight -- now I understand why she dressed me so!"

He kisses Lan Zhan's cheek.

"Have you been looking for me very long?"

[lightamidchaos]

"Not too long." He looks back and forth between them. "I do not wish to interrupt."

[acrookedpath]

"You aren't," he reassures him, pulling him the last couple of steps down the staircase. "We were just about to explore the library. Shijie, it's all right if Lan Zhan comes along, isn't it?"

[lotus_sister]

"Of course," she assures him - assures both of them. "Please do. You will, won't you?"

Hanguang-jun nods, and Jiang Yanli smiles at him.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian beams, as bright as the sunrise. "Then let's go!"

Without letting go of Lan Zhan's hand, he grabs Jiang Yanli's with his other to tug them both back up the stairs. (Perhaps they should have joined Lan Zhan at the top of the staircase, rather than pulling him down, but then Wei Wuxian wouldn't have seen his costume! It all works out for the best.)

[lightamidchaos]

He follows along willingly, trailing after Wei Ying and beside Jiang Yanli down the hallway to the library.

The Librarian looks up from its work with a beady gimlet eye, and he instinctively steps between the ape and Wei Ying.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian offers the Librarian an uneasy smile; ever since he returned the water-stained scroll they used in Harrow's consecration ritual, the ape has treated him as if every book he touches will come back ink-smudged and possibly on fire.

"Ah -- hello, my friend!" he chirps anyway, circling his arms to offer a formal bow. "Not to worry, Lan Zhan and my shijie will make certain I behave myself. Shijie, this is the inn's Librarian!"

[lotus_sister]

She bows as well, perfectly poised, and regards the Librarian with a polite smile - having not missed either Hanguang-jun's protective air or A-Xian's nervousness. "I am very pleased to meet you," she tells the ape. "My brother has spoken highly of your collection and insisted that I come see its wonders."

The ape blinks in surprise and peers closely at A-Xian, its entire manner saying You?

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian puts on his sunniest expression, the better to say, Of course me! Who else?

"You do maintain an impeccable library," he says, cheerful. "Forgive my rudeness for not saying that often enough! And I promise we will leave it all as we found it."

He holds up a three-fingered salute for emphasis.

[lightamidchaos]

The Librarian peers harder at Wei Ying, then looks at Lan Wangji, who inclines his head in a fractional nod of assent.

The ape huffs agreement and waves a hand at the library beyond.

[acrookedpath]

What a relief!

"Thank you," says Wei Wuxian again, offering another quick bow before he grins at both his companions. "Here, the magic section is down this way -- "

And he takes off toward one of the aisles.

[lotus_sister]

She gives the Librarian another polite nod and moves to follow A-Xian, walking beside Hanguang-jun.

"He seems very happy," she murmurs. "I trust you are as well?"

"Yes." His voice is deep and sure, and Jiang Yanli smiles.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian glances back at the murmured voices. He can't quite catch what they're saying, but he sees the smile on his shijie's face, the quiet contentment on Lan Zhan's. The wash of love that overtakes him would sweep him away if he weren't careful.

This is the perfect evening, he thinks.

"Here we are!" He brushes his hand over the spines of a few books, the aisle beyond stretching to uncountable lengths. "There seem to be new ones every time I visit."

He plucks out a battered paperback titled Kitchen Witch Recipes, intrigued, and tilts it toward Jiang Yanli and Lan Zhan so they can tke a look.

[lightamidchaos]

"Spells for food?" Lan Wangji asks, surprised. He leans in, careful not to intrude on Jiang Yanli's space, and looks at the pages.

She looks more than politely interested, he notices. Perhaps it is not just soup that she would prefer to make, or at least oversee in the household. Given how fondly Wei Ying has spoken of the care she puts into such things, he can certainly understand it.

"You might as well call it cooking with cultivation," she laughs, and brushes light fingers over the page. "I might do better with this than other forms!"

[acrookedpath]

"When you visit next, we will have to collect as many books like this as we can and spend the whole night in the kitchen," says Wei Wuxian, laughing as well. "Imagine what the rats will think!"

Because Jiang Yanli will visit again. If he lets himself think otherwise -- if he jumps so far ahead that all he can see is the night's ending, and his shijie vanishing once more --

No. He will enjoy what he has, while he has it.